Enterolobium contortisiliquum |
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earpod tree, pacara earpod tree |
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Habit | Trees to 30 m. Bark smooth. |
Leaves | stipules linear-subulate, 2–3 mm; petiole 3–5(–8) cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with sessile, elliptic gland distal to middle; rachis pubescent or glabrous; stipels distal to secondary pulvinus, linear-subulate, 1 mm; leaflet blade asymmetrical, linear-oblong to subfalcate, 8–15 × 3–4 mm, base obliquely rounded, apex obliquely acute to obtuse, mucronate. |
Inflorescences | heads (on secondary branches) 0.5–1 cm, 1–2 cm diam. |
Peduncles | 0.5–2 cm. |
Pedicels | 1 mm. |
Flowers | calyx 2 mm, 5-ribbed, pubescent on outer surface, lobes triangular, 0.25 mm; corolla funnelform, 5–6 mm, pubescent on outer surface, lobes linear-lanceolate, 2 mm; stamens ca. 80, 8–10 mm, white or cream, glabrous; filaments connate 4 mm proximally. |
Fruits | blackish, (55–)60–70(–80) × (40–)50–60 mm, dull, glaucous. |
Seeds | dark brown, flattened, 10 × 5 mm, with evident pleurogram. |
2n | = 26 (South America). |
Enterolobium contortisiliquum |
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Phenology | Flowering spring–summer. |
Habitat | Disturbed areas. |
Elevation | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) |
Distribution |
FL; South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in West Indies, Africa] |
Discussion | Enterolobium contortisiliquum is known from central peninsular Florida. Enterolobium contortisiliquum is cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas and Africa. The species is used for wood in construction and cabinetry and is often cultivated as a shade tree in the tropics and subtropics. The seeds contain toxic saponins. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (Mimosoid clade) > Enterolobium |
Synonyms | Mimosa contortisiliqua, Feuilleea contortisiliqua |
Name authority | (Vellozo) Morong: Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 7: 102. (1893) |
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